Operated by Journey Beyond Rail Expeditions, The Ghan runs between Adelaide and Darwin. The trip takes 54 hours to travel the 2,979 kilometres, with stops in Katherine and Alice Springs. In May this year, the team at Dulux® Protective Coatings (SA) specified for the repainting of The Ghan’s distinctive livery. The five step process involved more than 600 hours of labour, with the CFCLA application team trialling several products and methods before nailing the perfect formula. “It’s always a balance between aesthetics and functionality,” explains Joel Boucher, Technical Sales Representative of NT and SA.

This luxury train reaches high speeds, making the exterior panels subject to flexing and abrasion. Durability was achieved with Dulux® Duremax® GPE ZP, UMP White Primer and Acrathane IF White for the base. The distinctive colour coat was painted with Dulux® Acrathane® IF Signal Red. Acrathane IF Clear Gloss created a lustrous finish that will endure for the many journeys to come.